Golf instruction - what is essential to the swing and what is merely style?

Golf Blogs | Andrew Rice Golf

Golf Instruction - What is essential to the swing and what is merely a matter of style? A page for everybody who loves golf! Here I will discuss the swing, architecture, equipment, players and the general state of the game.

I love links golf and I would rather Ballybunion Golf Club every day for the rest of my life than any other course in the world! There is something wild about the look of the dunes and eminently fair about the course that I find very appealing.

I first played there with my father, some old friends and Mr. Seamus Finnerty, Club Captain and everything you could hope for in a host. What a special experience it was! On a calm day there are no holes that will overpower you, but even a subtle breeze blowing in the right direction will make holes # 2, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15 and 17 become unreachable monsters. Keep in mind that there is no direction the wind can blow that will make all the aforementioned holes play into the wind, as they are all going in different directions.

The course only plays to 6638 yards from the back tees, but is all the challenge any golfer could hope for. The contours on the fairways and greens are a large part of what make Ballybunion a great golf course. The foward half of the 9th green is entirely a false front! The signature hole is the par four 11th. A longish par four where the tee shot must be soundly struck between dunes and the Atlantic Ocean. The hope is to place your ball on the appropriate tier in the fairway from which to play the thrilling second shot to the green below. I would rate the approach to this green alongside the approach to the 8th at Pebble Beach. It will get your heart racing!

I asked Tom Watson what his favorite hole was and he gave me a sly look and said I would never guess. My reply was, that with that look, it must be the 6th hole. He was amazed that I selected that hole, as the 6th has no dunes, no bunkers and no ocean or graveyard in play. The 6th only has a tee, a fairway and a green, oh yes, and the prevailing wind! Play it a few times and you will understand why we both rate it so highly!

Ballybunion has no weak holes and every hole is a unique and memorable experience. Conditioning is generally quite good for a links course and the caddies can be hit or miss. The Cashen or New course is actually built on a "wilder" (better!) piece of property but Mr. Robert Trent Jones Snr. has done a disservice to all of links golf with his design. I would stay off the Cashen. No matter how good it looks!

Any golfer who loves links golf and plans on making a pilgrimage to Ireland must count Ballybunion Old as the number one course to play! As Tom Watson said,

"I am now of the opinion this is one of the best and most beautiful tests of links anywhere in the world."

Andrew Rice Golf

Andrew Rice Golf. Providing golf instruction for all levels of golfers. Here you will find advice on golf instruction, golf course management and golf tips. Andrew Rice Golf is located at the Westin Savannah Harbor Resort and Golf Club. Three-Day Golf School information may also be found here.